Volunteer (Main Shelter)

Long nights make for messy mornings! As our handlers arrive for the day and take the dogs outside, it’s time to clean their areas and give them fresh bedding and water. You will be working alongside a staff member to help prepare each kennel. A helpful hint: Wear something you don’t mind getting dirty! (And closed toed shoes, of course)  

**Before cleaning each kennel, make sure there are no dogs inside with you. Please do not interact with any of the dogs, some of them are nervous, reactive or don’t like strangers** 

• Go through and pick up all empty bowls and place in the sink in the hallway. 

• If there are any bowls with food still in them, record the amount of food leftover (1/2 cup, full bowl etc.) in the notebook on the counter. 

• Start picking up soiled laundry from each kennel. If the items are covered in poop, they can be thrown away. Any other items can be washed and should be taken to the dirty laundry area. 

• If you notice that a dog is shredding any blankets, clean out and do not replace with laundry. Record in the notebook who shredded the item.  

• Sweep out kennels. 

• Saturate each kennel with disinfectant (Including cage doors, walls and floors). Let sit for 5 mins. 

• Wipe down walls and guillotine door. 

• Mop all kennel floors. 

• Take out each water bucket, clean and fill with fresh water. 

Cats tend to have 3 am zoomies, even here at the shelter. That creates a big mess for our staff in the morning. As part of our turn down service, you’ll work side by side with a staff member putting their homes back together.  

• Clean 1 condo at a time. 

• Pull out the litter boxes and scoop thoroughly. If litter needs to be replaced, empty into trash and spray down litter boxes with rescue disinfectant. Let sit for 5 minutes. 

• While the litter box is disinfecting, take out the dirty blankets/towels from each cage. 

• Starting top to bottom, wipe down walls and platforms with Lysol wipes. 

• Replace with clean laundry. 

• Remove the water bowl and clean thoroughly in the sink. Fill with fresh water and put back into cage. Dump old food and ask a staff member to refill with fresh food. 

• Return to the litter box and wipe down with paper towels. Fill with fresh water and put back into cage.   

• Repeat process with every condo. 

The fastest way to a dog’s heart… you guessed it! Food! Each animal at H.A.L.O. has a specific diet to meet their individual needs. It’s extremely important to make sure they’re receiving the proper nutrition. During food preparation, you will have a member of our dog team helping you if needed.  

• Each dog hallway has a white board with all diet directions. They’re labeled 1-40. Start with 1 hallway and prepare bowls on 1 side first. 

• Fill bowls with dry food listed on the white boards (Some dogs require a slow feeder)  

• Carefully place each bowl on the counter above the correct dog. Continue for all dogs listed. 

• Each dog gets 1 pump of apple cider vinegar, 1 tsp. of pumpkin, and 1 tsp of yogurt. 

• Some dogs will get wet food added to their bowls. Go through and add wet to those who require it.  

• Stir each bowl thoroughly. 

Dishes! Lots of hungry mouths, make a lot of dirty dishes! Even the most tedious tasks are important here at H.A.L.O.  

• Fill the hallway sink about ¾ full of hot water and add ¼ of bleach and 2 TBSP of dawn dish detergent. 

• Using the sponges or brushes provided, scrub each bowl. 

• Rinse with hot water and place dishes on the drying rack above the sink.   

• Once all dishes are washed, add any rubber toys to the sink and let them soak for 20 minutes.  

• While you wait, please wipe down counters, take out trash, organize the food prep area and tidy up. 

• When scrubbing the toys, make sure you clean any holes that may be filled with leftover food (like peanut butter). Place on the drying rack and drain the sink. 

Laundry is a fundamental part of HALO’s everyday process. The animals need the comfort of thick blankets for sleeping on these hard concrete floors/kennels, we need towels for cleaning and bathing, fleece for our rabbits and guinea pigs to keep them from getting hurt… You get the idea! So, here are some basic instructions for our laundry process. 

Washing dirty laundry: 

• Located just outside the laundry shed, there are laundry bins labeled: Towels, Blankets, Sheets, fleece. 

• Please only wash like items together (towels with towels, blankets with blankets, etc.) 

• Shake each item out before placing into washing machines.  

• Make sure the load is not too large. (10 towels = 1 load) 

• Add both detergent and bleach to each load (follow instructions on container.) 

• Press start (all knobs are currently set on the correct setting.) 

Drying laundry: 

• Clean lint trap  

• Place wet laundry into dryer (remember to keep like items together – fleece with fleece) 

• Push knob to start (all knobs are currently set on the correct setting.) 

Clean/Dry laundry: 

• Fold neatly and place into the laundry shed with like items. 

• When finished for the day, sweep floors, take out the trash, and restock any needed items. 

Let’s add some mental enrichment through activities like these!

Training Sessions: Teach basic commands or tricks using positive reinforcement techniques. Short, frequent sessions can be very stimulating.

Scent Games: Hide treats or toys around the kennel and encourage dogs to find them using their sense of smell.

Enrichment Boxes: Create boxes or bags filled with various textures and scents for dogs to explore and investigate.

Have an idea, let us know! You are their voice and we are here to listen! 

Physical Enrichment at H.A.L.O. includes:

Interactive Toys: Use puzzle toys, Kongs stuffed with treats, or treat-dispenting toys to keep dogs engaged. 

Dog Walking: Walks provide physical exercise and mental stimulation through novel sights and smells. ADVANCED TRAINING REQUIREMENT

Playtime: Regular play sessions with toys, balls, or frisbees to keep dogs active and engaged. 

Have an idea, let us know! You are their voice and we are here to listen! 

Let’s add some mental enrichment through activities like these!
Scent Enrichment: Introduce new scents to the environment, such as catnip to provide olfactory stimulation.
Library Hour: Read to the cats! They like it!
Training Sessions: Can’t teach a cat new trick? Nonsense! Clicker training uses positive reinforcement to engage a cat mentally and helps them learn simple behaviors. like coming when called for a treat.
Have an idea, let us know! You are their voice and we are here to listen!

Physical Enrichment at H.A.L.O. includes:
Interactive Toys: Wand toys with feathers, strings or plush animals mimic prey and encourage cat’s hunting instincts.
Puzzle Feeders: Encourage cats to work for food, stimulating their brains and giving them a sense of reward.
Laser Pointers: Great for short bursts of high-energy play, allowing cats to chase and pounce.
Bubble Play: Blowing cat-safe bubbles can be a fun way for cats to chase and pop them, stimulating both their sight and hunting instincts.
Have an idea, let us know! You are their voice and we are here to listen!

Regular grooming sessions, like brushing or baths. not only maintain the dog’s health but also helps them enjoy human contact and develop patience. Dogs only cause who is brave enough to bathe a cat?!

Setting up a daycation for an animal in a shelter can be a rewarding experience, helping them experience a break from the shelter environment while providing bonding opportunities.

Some ideas include, but your mind is the limit!

-Walks or Hikes- Take time out for a good sniff!

-Beach Day- Who doesn’t like to dig in the sand?! Well, maybe not a cat!

-Zoomie Day- Have a fenced in yard a pup might want to play in?!

-Pool Day- Splish Splash (lifejackets required please)

-Cuddles on the Couch

-Spa Day- Have a groomer that wants to get involved in some pampering or maybe you’ve got skills?!

Daycations ideas must be approved by the Animal Care Manager ahead of time.

A daycation is a great opportunity to showcase the adoptable animal. You will be matched with a dog or cat that we feel will do well in the setting you have created. We ask you still make sure the day’s activities don’t overwhelm or stress the animal by including breaks for rest and downtime or maybe even a change of plans!

By creating an enjoyable, structured, and engaging environment, a daycation at an animal shelter can promote animal well-being and provide potential adopters with a unique, hands-on way to connect with the animals.

A Foster Application must also be completed and approved prior, https://halorescuefl.org/get-involved/foster/

A slumber party is a creative and heartwarming way to foster deeper connections through a comforting environment for the animal while offering them a break from the shelter and promoting bonding.

Your feedback on the experience is key! Make sure to let us know how the animal behaved in your home. Share photos or stories from the slumber party so that we can highlight them on social media and adoption profiles.

A slumber party offers a unique opportunity for animals to experience comfort and companionship in a calm setting. It also allows us to understand the needs of the animal in a home to create a more successful connection promoting adoption.

A Foster Application must also be completed and approved prior, https://halorescuefl.org/get-involved/foster/